37 weeks is full term? since when?

Ohh dear...i just had a work friend have her baby at 37 weeks...everyone keeps saying well he was 3 weeks early but she was at full term...anyone able to enlighten me? I thought 40 weeks was full term?

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They say 40 weeks is "due date".. I thought it used to be 38-42 weeks is full term but midwives lately have been saying lately 37-42 is full term and anything before 36 week is premie. ...I'm just taking it as anything from 37 weeks is safe (full term / fully developed?) and anything earlier than that there may be extra monitoring / precautions taken. ..I'm not sure but perhaps if 37wks was considered premie that the labour/birthing methods may be more restricted?
I think since only about 3% of babies are born on their due date / 40 weeks, it's nice to consider a period of time being "full term" rather than just one day :)

I've been given heaps of dates and my doctor says I'm due between the 4 th and 12 th of October but from my first dating scan at 6 weeks my due date was 6/10/12 then had a scan at 9 weeks cause I moved towns and now they say my due date is 10/10/12 so i'm 37/38 weeks now and my little man is fully developed and measuring 2 weeks ahead so won't need any assistant as in machine wise soon as you hit 40 weeks doc's say your baby is over cooking soon as you hit 37 wks they say it can come out cause its ready.. I find it really consfusing to

We've been told repeatedly by the OB, hospital and Calmbirth class that 37 - 42 weeks is normal. Baby is full term from 37 weeks. Cut off of 42 weeks is only because the placenta can start to deteriorate from then.

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